Seven healthcare unions issue 14-day ultimatum over salary delays, medical cover

Seven healthcare workers' unions have issued a 14-day ultimatum to county governments to pay salaries, provide them with medical covers and remit deductions made for various institutions.

The unions including the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) and the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) threatened to down tools if their issues are not addressed.

Other unions involved include the Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers (KNUMLO), Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO), Kenya National Union of Pharmaceutical Technologists (KNUPT), Kenya Union of Nutritionists and Dieticians (KUNAD), Kenya Health Professional Society (KEHPHPU), and Kenya National Union of Medical Officers (KNUNM).

KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah said the government has neglected healthcare workers by delaying their salaries.

Speaking to journalists in Nairobi, Atellah decried the challenges facing healthcare workers nationwide, noting that many are struggling to meet their financial obligations.

“These salary delays have caused immense suffering among healthcare workers across several counties. They can’t pay their rent, fuel their vehicles, or even cover basic utilities,” Atellah said.

He emphasised that the union would no longer tolerate situations where healthcare workers are expected to work without proper compensation.

“We cannot continue to watch our workers struggle to get to work while their salaries and welfare are ignored,” he said.

KMPDU also called for immediate provision of health insurance for all healthcare workers, citing the risks they face in the line of duty.

Atellah criticised the government's failure to provide medical insurance, describing it as a severe oversight.

“We demand that the health insurance for workers in those 40 counties be provided immediately,” he said.

Atellah further accused county governments of failing to remit statutory deductions for healthcare workers to the relevant authorities, some of which he said have gone unpaid for as long as two years.

“We have noticed with concern that workers from nearly 40 counties have not had their deductions remitted, which is causing severe frustration. Bank loans remain unpaid, which is an injustice, especially when these counties expect workers to continue their duties,” he said.

The SG warned that the union would mobilize all healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, clinical officers, and laboratory technicians, to take industrial action if their demands are not met.

“That’s why today we are saying that all healthcare workers—doctors, nurses, clinical officers, lab technicians—will down their tools to demand that these issues be resolved,” he said.